Today in Headbanger History

December 22, 1987 – Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue is pronounced “dead on arrival” in an ambulance when his heart stops beating for two minutes. Sixx is given two shots of adrenaline in his chest, which revives him. In his book, The Heroin Diaries, Sixx says, “I ripped out my tubes and staggered in just my leather pants […]

December 21, 1970 – Elvis Presley meets with President Richard Nixon at The White House to volunteer his services in fighting the war on drugs. Elvis had written a letter to President Nixon asking to be made a “Federal Agent at Large” for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. No such position actually existed, but Nixon, wanting desperately […]

December 18, 1983 – Keith Richards marries model and actress Patti Hansen in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Mick Jagger is Richards’ best man. December 18, 1988 – Mike Peters of The Alarm has his eyes burnt by spotlights during a show in Chester, England. He regains his sight two weeks later. December 18, 2000 – Bob Geldof is granted custody of […]

December 17, 1994 – Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi marries actress Heather Locklear in Paris. They divorce in 2006. December 17, 1969 – Singer Tiny Tim marries Miss Vicki Budinger on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson with 40 million people watching.. The program receives the second largest ratings of any show up to that time. Tiny Tim was known […]

December 15, 1977 – The Sex Pistols are refused entry into the U.S. two days before their scheduled appearance on Saturday Night Live. Johnny Rotten is denied because of drug convictions, Paul Cook and Sid Vicious because of “moral turpitude” and Steve Jones because of his criminal record. Elvis Costello fills in for them, but then gets banned from the […]

December 14, 1980 – There is a 10-minute silent vigil worldwide at 2PM EST in New York City to remember John Lennon. Over 100,000 people gather in Central Park; 30,000 people observe silence in Liverpool. For those ten minutes, every radio station in New York City goes off the air. At least three Beatles fans commit suicide after the murder, leading Ono to make a public […]